De facto segregation was a term used during the 1960s racial integration efforts in schools, to describe a situation in which legislation did not overtly segregate students by race, but nevertheless school segregation continued. In Balsbaugh...
civil rights
defense
A defense is an act of protecting one’s own interests. In common law, a defendant may use defenses to prevent or limit liability. A defense can either allege a failure to state a claim, or affirm the existence of a claim and present...
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was a federal law passed by the 104th United States Congress intended to define and protect the institution of marriage. This law specifically defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman which...
disability law
Disability law refers to laws related to individuals with disabilities; specifically, these laws protect disabled individuals from certain kinds of discrimination. Disability laws are particularly concerned with employment, housing, education...
discrimination
Different treatment for similarly situated parties, especially when no legitimate reason appears to exist. An employer who rejects all male applicants and hires the first female applicant with the same qualifications might be discriminating on the...
disparate impact
Disparate impact (also “adverse impact”) commonly refers to unintentional discriminatory practice, whereas disparate treatment (also “adverse treatment”) refers to intentional discriminatory practice. A disparate impact policy or rule is one...
disparate treatment
Disparate treatment occurs when individuals who are members of a protected class are treated differently than others by an employer. The term disparate treatment has been defined by courts in varying manners. For example, in Monson v....
disproportionate impact
See Disparate Impact
disturbance of the peace
Disturbance (or breach) of the peace is a generic term encompassing a variety of conduct that violates public order, disturbs the public, or incites violence, including any violation of any law enacted to preserve peace and good order. It is...
DOMA
The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was a federal law passed by the 104th United States Congress intended to define and protect the institution of marriage. This law specifically defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman which...